Big Things Are Happening In The First Images From ‘Orange Is The New Black’ Season 4

It feels like it’s been an eternity since we last checked in with the women of Litchfield, and a slightly shorter eternity still separates us from the debut of the fourth season of Orange Is the New Black on June 17. But to ease the journey through these two eternities, Netflix has unveiled nine promotional images for the upcoming batch of episodes over which sharp-eyed fans can pore for untold hours in search of clues as to what might happen next season. Some of the images don’t offer much in the way of presaging future plot developments — Alex Vause will look over a fence! — but others hint at an exciting, game-changing future.

Showrunner Jenji Kohan started over with the fourth season of Weeds, disposing of the central premise by uprooting privileged weed dealer Nancy Botwin out of the suburbs and down to the Mexican border. The fourth season of OITNB will also introduce a new element certain to disrupt the status quo of the show, in the form of a few busloads of new inmates that moved to the recently-expanded Litchfield at the end of last season.

Some of the images below show the new faces in the clink interacting tentatively with the regulars, figuring out how they can all coexist in the least-violent manner possible. Boo and Pennsatucky have remained pals after establishing a kinda-touching friendship last season, and Red and Gloria have resolved their differences enough to stand in the same section of the kitchen. Sophia’s looking pretty upset, though you’d look upset too if someone stole your wig, and if we’re gonna play the odds, said something transphobic to your face. The most intriguing image of all, however, finds Our Lady Of Embarrassing Un-Self-Awareness Piper Chapman in a tight bind with the Latina inmates. Something’s about to be pressed onto her skin; I’m betting it’s hot. How loud will her skin hiss when it is permanently branded? Find out in June!